Pouring spout



Aug. 25, 1953 L. L. SMITH POURING SPOUT Filqd May 22, 1948 Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to spouts and more particularly to detachable spouts for pouring liquid from containers.

An object of the invention is to provide a spout of the above character with novel means for securing the spout toa container.

Another object of the invention is the provision ina spout of the above character whereby the spout may be secured to the container so that there is no leakage of liquid between the spout and the container.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a-spout of the above character whereby the spout maybe quickly attached to and removed from a container ina very easy manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spout of the above character that is sturdy, that is simple in construction, and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 7 will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spout embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the spout shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the spout in position on a container;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of theinvention, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary exaggerated sectional view of a container similar to Fig. 4 with the spout of Fig. 5 in position.

Referring now to the drawings the invention is shown embodied in a detachable spout for facilitating pouring of liquid from a container. Although the spout disclosed herein may be used withvarious containers as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, it is shown for purposes of illustration as being used. with a gable type container, utilized Widely in the dairy industry in handling milk. To simplify the drawings, only those portions of the container necessary to understand the construction and operation of the spout are included. In general, such containers are formed from paper and include four interconnected side members of which only members H and [2 are shown and indicated. At their upper ends the side members are connected to inclined portions [3 and M respectively. The latter extend upwardly from the side members and are joined together intermediate the side members in a suitable conventional manner to form a gable. The inclined portion I3 is formed with a flap I6, which in its closed position forms a part of the inclined portion and the upper end of the side member H. The flap is defined by perforations so that by inserting ones fingernail or the like into a small slot l1 formed on the upper end of the side member II the flap may be torn up and raised to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 touncover a pouring opening Ill. The latter is formed in a liner 1'9; beneath and supporting the flap I6 when the latter is in its closed. position, secured to the interior of the container. Theliner extends from approximately the peak of the gable to a position below the connection between the side member H and the inclined portion l3. A tab 2] of the same size and shape as the opening is normally closes the opening l8 when the flap I6 is in the closed position. The tab 2| isadhered to the flap l6 in'a suitable manner so that when the flap i6 is raised as shown the tab 2| is also raised tothe position shown inFigs. 3 and 4.

The spout in general comprises a pad 22 having a flat surface 23 shaped to rest on the surface or land 24 adjacent and defining the opening I8. Attached to the pad 22 and projecting outwardly from the side thereof away from the flat surface is a liquid pouring or sleeve portion 26. The length of the latter and the cross-sectional shape thereof may vary as required. On an edge 2'!- the pad is abruptly beveled so that the edge may be forced under the tab 21 as shown in Fig. 4 to fixedly position the edge 21 of the pad 22 with respect to the container and force the pad down against the liner 1-6 and land 24. A resilient wedge member 28 isdisposed on the opposite edge of the pad 22 and is inclined .at an angle with respect to theflat surface 23 of the pad. In general this angle is slightly smaller than the corresponding angle between the inclined portion I3 and: the side member H. As best seen in Fig. 2, the resilient member is connected to the pad on the side thereof away from the flat surface 23 and in spaced relation thereto. A ri-b 29 connected between the sleeve portion 26 and the resilient member 28 may be utilized to strengthen the connection between the resilient member and the pad 22. The resilient member 28 tapers generally from its connection with the pad 22 to its free end 3|. The latter is relatively thin so that it may be inserted between the liner i9 and the upper end of the side member II as shown in Fig. 4. The end 3| of the resilient member 28 maybe curved slightly so that when the end is inserted between the liner I9 and the side member I, it is straightened out and is under stress. Thus, there is a tendency for the resilient memher to be maintained in a fixed position with respect to the container. With some containers the end 3| may be straight since there is sufficient friction between the end and the side members to hold the resilient member in a fixed position with respect to the container.

The foregoing spout may be formed from separate pieces connected together in a suitable manner or may be formed as a unitary piece from metal or synthetic resinous materials.

The spout is extremely simple and may be readily affixed to a container by even the most unskilled person. To position the spout the flap I6 is pulled up in the usual manner by inserting a fingernail in the slot I! and then grasping the end of the flap and thereafter raising it to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The tab 2| being adhered to the flap I6 is simultaneously raised to the position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 thus exposing the opening l8 in the inclined portion I3 of the container. The spout is then grasped between two fingers and the free end 3| of the resilient member 28 is disposed in the slot ll. Thereafter the resilient member is inserted between the liner l9 and the side member The spout is pressed downwardly until the beveled edge 2'! can be wedged under the bottom of the tab 2| when the tab is in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 4. Usually the tab 2| on being bent back tears loose from its connection with the liner l9 and the beveled edge 21 is thus forced or wedged between the liner l9 and the inclined portion l3 of the container. This is also the case when the tab 2| is omitted from the container construction. When the spout is in position the beveled edge 21 engages the tab 2| and the free end 3| is disposed between the liner l9 and the side member With the spout so supported the resilient or spring member 28 is under stress and the spout is in effect wedged into position, since the resilient member tends to force the beveled edge 21 and the free end 3| into tight engagement with the respective parts of the container. Because the connection of the resilient member 28 with the pad 22 is on the side of the pad away from the bottom surface 23 the resilient member 28 also tends to force the bottom surface of the pad into tight engagement with the surface 24 adjacent the opening. This assures a liquid tight seal between the spout and the container. Thus, liquid in the container may be readily poured through the sleeve portion 26 as desired without leakage between the spout and the container.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. and 6. In this embodiment the liquid pouring device comprises a pad 3| with a beveled edge 32 and a liquid pouring sleeve portion 33 attached to the pad 3|, constructed in a manner similar to that described for the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-4. In Figs. 5 and 6, however, a rigid wedge member 34 is attached to the pad 3! on the edge thereof away from the beveled edge 32. A rib 36 may be secured to the rigid member 34 and the pouring portion 33 to strengthen the spout structure. The angle between the pad 3| and the rigid member 34 in this instance is greater than the angle between the inclined portion 3! (see Fig. 6) and the side portion 38 of the container. The rigid member 34 is relatively wide at its free end so as to be inserted between contiguous members, formed by a liner 4! and an external member 42 forming the side portion 38 on opposite sides of a recess on the side of the container shaped to receive the rounded end (such as shown in Fig. 3) of the flap 43 when the latter is in its closed position. The free end :4 of the rigid member 34 and the lateral edges thereof, where desired, may be beveled or the like to facilitate entrance thereof between the contiguous members. 7

To attach this spout to the container the liquid pouring portion 33 may be grasped between the thumb and finger and the free end 44 of the rigid member 34 is placed against the liner 4|, exposed when the flap 43 is in the raised position shown in Fig. 6, and pushed downwardly until the end 44 thereof is inserted between the contiguous members 4| and 42 at opposite sides of the recess for the flap 43. The spout is pressed downwardly until the edge of the pad 3| adjacent the rigid member 34 engages the inclined portion 3! of the container. Thereafter the beveled edge 32 of the pad 3| is pressed downwardly until it engages the bottom of the flap 43 as shown in Fig. 6. Since the angle between the pad 3| and the rigid member 34 is greater than the angle between the side 38 and the inclined portion 31, the container, which inherently has some resiliency, is stressed when the beveled edge 32 engages the bottom of the flap 43 and the rigid member 34 is disposed between contiguous members 4| and 42 adjacent each side of the recess for the flap 43. As a result the pad 3| is forced into fluid tight engagement with the surface 46 adjacent the liquid opening 4? of the container. With the spout secured to the container in this manner liquid may be readily poured from the container as desired.

The aforegoing constructions provide a detachable spout that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, that is positive in its action so that there is no leakage between the spout and the container and that permits of accurately controlling the flow of liquid from the container, particularly small quantities such as is the case in pouring cream from a container into a cup of coffee.

I claim:

1. A detachable pouring device for a liquid container of the gable type having an opening disposed on one of the inclined portions forming the gab-1e and a flap bendable outwardly to uncover the opening, comprising a pad having a flat bottom surface shaped to engage the surface of the container across the opening, a spout on said pad adapted for alignment with the opening, said pad having an abruptly beveled edge portion shaped to engage the bottom of the bendable fiap when the latter is in its outward position to fixedly position said edge of the pad, and a wedge member connected to said pad on the side thereof away from the fiat surface and in spaced relation thereto for wedging the flat surface against the container, said wedge member being inclined at an angle to the pad and having a portion adjacent the pad arranged to be in spaced relation to the side of the container and terminating in a thin end portion remote from the pad shaped to be inserted between contiguous members forming the side of the containerfthe angle between said Wedge member and the pad being less than the included angle between an inclined portion of the gable and a side of the container to urge said beveled edge into engagement with the bottom of the flap and to urge said flat surface of the pad into liquid tight engagement with the container when the spout is mounted in the above described position.

2. A detachable pouring device for a gable type liquid container formed from paper and having a flap defining a part of one of the inclined sides of the gable bendable outwardly from the plane of said side of the gable and a liner disposed in contiguous relation with portions of said inclined side of the gable and the side of the container beneath said flap and having an opening of substantially less area than said flap through which the contents of the container may be poured when the flap is in an outward position comprising a spout shaped to be in alignment with the opening, a pad having a flat surface shaped to engage the surface of the container adjacent the opening, said pad having a beveled edge portion terminating in a thin edge coplanar with said fiat surface shaped to engage between the bottom of the bendable flap and the liner when the flap is in its outward position to force the fiat surface into sealing engagement with the container, and a wedge member connected to said pad opposite said beveled edge and in outwardly spaced relation to said flat surface and terminating in a thin free end shaped to be inserted between the liner and the side of the container, said member extending at an angle with respect to said pad less than the included angle between the side of the container and said one inclined side of the gable, said member and said pad effecting deformation of said one inclined side of the gable and the side of the container to stress the container, when said spout is mounted as described, and urge the pad into tight engagement with the surface adjacent the opening.

3. A detachable pouring device for a gable type liquid container formed from paper and having a flap defining a part of one of the inclined sides of the gable bendable outwardly from the plane of said side of the gable and a liner disposed in contiguous relation with portions of said inclined side of the gable and the side of the container beneath said flap and having an opening of substantially less area than said flap through which the contents of the container may be poured when the flap is in an outward position, said pouring device having a fiat lower face extending around the opening shaped to engage the container surface, a spout mounted on said pad to extend upwardly therefrom and communicating with the opening in the container for emptying the contents therefrom, said pad being formed with a peripheral edge portion beveled abruptly to define a surface tapering outwardly on the pad away from the spout and toward the flat lower face of the pad, said beveled edge portion on the pad being engageable against the bottom of the bendable flap on the container when said flap is in its outward position to force the flat lower face of the pad tightly against the liner, and a wedge member connected to said pad diametrically opposite from said beveled edge in outwardly spaced relation to said fiat lower face, said member extending downwardly from said pad to be angularly inclined with respect to the flat lower face thereof having a thin free end which forms the termination of said angularly inclined member positioned to be inserted between the liner and the side of the container to wedge the beveled edge of the pad against the bendable flap and to urge the flat face against the container.

4. A detachable pouring device for a gable type liquid container formed from paper and having a flap defining a part of one of the inclined sides of the gable, bendable outwardly from the plane of said side, and a liner disposed in contiguous relation with portions of said inclined side of the gable beneath the flap and having an opening of lesser area than said flap through which the contents of the container may be poured when the flap is lifted, said pouring device comprising a pad, a spout and a wedge member molded as a single piece from synthetic resin, said pad having a fiat lower face adapted to seat over the opening in said liner, the spout extending outwardly from the upper face of said pad and communicating with the opening for emptying the contents of the container, said pad being formed with a peripheral edge portion beveled abruptly to define a surface tapering outwardly away from the spout and toward the flat face of the pad and a sharp edge coplanar with the bottom face, said beveled edge portion being engageable against the bottom of the bendable flap when the flap is in its outward position to force the flat lower face of the pad tightly against the liner, and a resilient wedge member connected to the pad diametrically opposite from the beveled edge in outwardly spaced relation to the fiat lower face of the pad, said member extending downwardly at an angle with respect to said fiat surface less than the included angle between the side of the container and the side of the gable, said member having a thin free end positioned to be inserted between the liner and the side of the container to wedge the beveled edge of the pad against the bendable flap and to urge the flat face against the liner.

LOWELL L. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,864,473 Rigby June 21, 1932 2,459,130 Jones Jan. 11, 1949 

